Advice for Dimitri
by cyndaquilka
Summary: With great power comes great responsibility. As the monastery's counselor, Byleth learned it the hard way.


Byleth enjoyed being in charge of the monastery's Advice Box. Reading about other people's problems, helping them by giving just the right advice allowed her to gain perspective and form opinions on the subjects at hand.

The professor treated every case individually and with due care. Each time, she made a proper research and did her best to provide a valid solution. Questions submitted to the counselor varied greatly.

_My grades have been declining lately. Why could that be?_

_The Paladin test is next week, and I didn't do any study. Help, please?_

_My best friend is spending more time with her boyfriend than with me. Should I be worried?_

_I have a suspicious rash but I'm afraid of the infirmary. How to make it go away?_

Her colleagues joked that she's giving the advisor monks a run for their money. Truth be told, their comments weren't totally unfounded. Only this week, Byleth was sent three new letters. She put the envelopes on her desk in a neat pile, opened the one from the top, and began to read its content.

_Dear Counselor, I lost my beloved Oinky. She's a stuffed piglet that I've had since I can remember. She means a world to me. Could you help me find her?_

Byleth reached for the desk drawer. Inside, there stood a wooden box filled with all kinds of small objects. There was a necklace, a notebook, two hair-slides, even a toothbrush. And of course, on the very bottom, she found a washed-out toy piglet that could fit in her palm. With a smile on her face, she grabbed the owl feather to write a quick reply.

_Please put out a notice about your lost Oinky together with your room number. I'm sure someone already found her and is looking for her owner. _

There, that should do it. If only all the cases were so simple. Happy to be done with the answer so swiftly, the woman eagerly read the next letter.

_Dear Counselor, there is a girl in my house that I fancy, but she's been giving me the cold shoulder lately. She won't tell me what her problem is, and I don't know how to approach her. I'm open for suggestions._

"Oh no, not again…"

Byleth ran her hand through her face. With a heavy sigh, she wrote,

_Dear Sylvain, please stop bothering Ingrid. She's already expressed her annoyance about your behaviour to her professor. You would do best if you moved your romantic interests elsewhere._

Maybe this wasn't the most tactful response she could provide, but after answering the same question for the seventh time she ran out of ideas.

All that remained was the final letter. One more advice and she'd be free for the night. The professor took out the neatly-folded piece of parchment and spread it on the desktop. The note was nicely written, short, and simple. However, with every word, the woman's eyebrows raised higher and higher onto her forehead.

_Dear Counselor, I have a crush on a professor. What should I do?_

At first, she thought that Sylvain submitted two letters at once. Yet, the writing was different. Byleth turned the note in her hand. Of course, there was no name, as requesting the counselor's advice was anonymous.

Still, the woman couldn't help but wonder. Who was the love-sick sender of this message? But also, who was the lucky professor? Did Manuela finally find herself a boyfriend?

All her excitement evaporated when it came to giving the actual advice. Byleth stretched her muscles, took a deep breath, and… her hand froze two inches from the parchment. Whoever the mysterious student was, didn't give her many details to work with. Minutes had passed, and the woman still hadn't written a single word. She wished to pass her point to the student but also be gentle about it.

She finally settled for the following answer.

_I think you should first try talking to this professor on equal footing. Ask them about their hobbies, dreams, and plans for the future. Make sure they like you as a person before you do anything romantic._

Tired more by the last letter than with the first two, Byleth turned off the lights and went to sleep early.

The weekend came sooner than Byleth expected. With all the exams she had to grade, it was nice to enjoy her free day with a cup of peppermint tea.

"It is quite a lovely day, isn't it, Professor?"

The woman politely nodded, as she took another sip of the hot liquid. On the other side of the table, Dimitri was slowly devouring a piece of chocolate cake. They have just finished conversing about the recently debunked weapon triangle theory, and the boy was apparently looking for a new subject.

"Please tell me, Professor," the boy tried again, evidently having exhausted the topic of weather, "do you have any hobbies?'

Byleth was slightly surprised with Dimitri's sudden interest. During the tea parties, she was usually the only one to ask personal questions. Apparently, this was her turn to tell him a bit about herself.

"Actually, I enjoy fishing a lot," she admitted, reminiscing about the time her father taught her to fish. "Our pond is full of loaches. Maybe you should try it sometime."

"I see," said Dimitri, resting his chin against his hand. "And what are your dreams, Professor? Do you have some plans for the future?"

Byleth nearly choked.

Regardless how sloppy or clumsy were Dimitri's attempts to prolong their conversation, he just asked her three questions that sounded way too familiar.

The very questions she advised an anonymous student to ask their professor not so long ago.

She was definitely not ready for this. The woman had no idea how to deal with the young man sitting before her. During her mercenary life, she'd never had anyone express their interest in her. She didn't know what the acceptable response would be.

What made the matter worse, Dimitri was her student. He was very dear to her, but not in a romantic way. The last thing she wanted is to hurt his feelings.

"I apologize if I spoke out of line."

His voice brought Byleth back to reality. For a moment, she forgot that he was actually waiting for her response. Now that she ignored him, the boy looked like a scolded puppy. She could tell he felt terrible, even with the blond bangs covering his eyes.

"No, you didn't. I was just… thinking how to word my response."

Dimitri's blue eyes lit momentarily. He sat up straight, listening to her every word. This made Byleth more disconcerted than the lecture room full of people. Especially that she still had to think up an answer.

She cleared her throat.

"My dream… is to one day surpass my father in sword skills. As for plans, I am satisfied with my life as a teacher. I would like to stay in the monastery for some time."

Maybe the wording wasn't perfect, but her student seemed satisfied with her answer. To cover her embarrassment, the professor took a few gulps of tea. Suddenly, it wasn't so hot anymore.

"Thank you for inviting me today," said Dimitri after he finished his cake. "I was afraid you would be too busy."

Byleth gave him an evasive smile, unsure how else to answer. When she noticed that Dimitri's hand was dangerously close to her own, she panicked. The woman jumped to her feat, nearly knocking off her own cup.

"I'm sorry, Dimitri. I− I have to go. I'll see you later."

Without waiting for his reaction, the professor ran off, leaving her tea set behind.

"I'm done," said Byleth, standing in the door to Hanneman's office. "Remember how you offered to take some of my responsibilities? Please take charge of the Advice Box for a week or two. I need a break."

If the older professor was surprised with her sudden change of mind, he didn't show it. As a scholar, he was aware of the fact that the grieving process was a very individual matter. On the surface, his new colleague dealt with the loss of her father as well as one could hope for. But if the young lady needed more time for herself, he and Manuela were more than happy to help.

"Yes, of course," he replied, playing with his monocle. "I can't express how glad I am that you reach out to me when you need to. I hope that one day you will return the favour."

Byleth nodded and turned to leave. She suspected that the professor's help would cost her another crest examination in the near future. Still, she believed having a break from all the school drama was totally worth it.

Next week, when Hanneman emptied the Advice Box, inside he found a single letter with a very unexpected content.

_Dear counselor, a student has a crush on me. What should I do?!_


End file.
